Chapter 38: Various Sides' Forces

Jing Wan used her handkerchief to wipe her tears for her, smiling, "Girls are all made from water, don't cry too much. Else, just like the flowers, lose too much water and you won't be pretty anymore. Occasionally crying is also fine, but you have to find the right person. You have to cry towards that person that knows to cherish you." Blinking her eyes as she said this.

Sun Yi Jia's tears turned into laughter, and she hurriedly wiped away her own tears. Because she didn't put on makeup, she wasn't worried about her makeup shedding either. It was just for a short while, so it was unlikely to redden the eyes. Sun Yi Jia very quickly returned to normal. However, compared to earlier, she appeared a lot more lively and refreshed.

This entire process, in fact, only took that bit of time. Even if the bystanders noticed, they at most would only give a few extra glances.

Sun Yi Jia greatly let out a breath, also feeling happy inside her heart.

Head Magistrate Diwu leaned closer to Luo Pei Shan, "This granddaughter of yours, not having been born as male, really such a shame."

"I'd also once felt it was a shame before, but now, I rather don't feel it's a shame anymore. She's quite nice like this too."

Sun Yi Jia suddenly became really close with Jing Wan, from the unfamiliar Miss Luo, to the intimate little sister Wan, and smiling affectionately. Probably because Jing Wan was able to see her thoughts, she believed that Jing Wan and herself actually have matching personalities. Just Jing Wan was open-minded, possessing an unexposed candidness, much stronger than herself, who would always become depressed when encountering problems. Although she called her little sister Wan, in actuality, she viewed Jing Wan like an older sister, because she could enlighten her, forming a kind of reliance that she herself didn't even realize. Thus, she was furthermore open with Jing Wan, telling her anything and everything.

Where did she still have the slightest aloof arrogance of a high peak flower!? Because the change happened too fast, Jing Wan for a moment was somewhat caught off guard. However, seeing Sun Yi Jia like this was still better than having her gradually become numb to everything.

Through their conversation, Sun Yi Jia discovered that Jing Wan was actually more knowledgable about these plants and flowers than her own fifth brother. In her eyes, it was practically unbelievable. "Little sister Wan, you're so amazing. I thought that in this area, no one is able to beat my fifth brother, even those old officials all couldn't. Who would've thought that you're even better than him, really matches that saying 'there's always someone out there that's better'."

"Big sister Jia is overpraising." Alright, this address was forced out by Sun Yi Jia. "I just read a lot of related books, and afterwards personally planted quite a few myself too, so naturally I would know these."

"I also learned quite a bit from my fifth brother, but he always disdains my clumsiness, even saying I'm defiling his things. Clearly, when it's him that's not good at teaching."

Sun Yi Lin was just to the side, you as the younger sister, such brazenly saying bad things about your older brother, is it really okay?

Sun Yi Lin also didn't know whether to cry or laugh. He didn't know there was a saying called 'also getting shot while lying down[1]'.

Luo Pei Shan originally thought that there was nothing to gain today, but while they were resting in a teahouse, he saw Qing Zhu carrying a small basket. Lifting open the handkerchief on top, inside were a few branches, and also a damaged orchid that had been deemed unable to be raised back to life. He blankly stared for a moment.

Jing Wan naturally noticed his movements and smiled with a deeper meaning, but didn't say anything.

Luo Pei Shan also, like he understood, dead earnestly pretended like nothing happened. But in actuality, his heart was itching. He didn't understand anything!

(T/N: grandpa is too cute.)

Jing Wan didn't know that currently, the man that had been continuously watching her in secret was also in a private room on the third floor. Li Hong Yuan, at the time, had just happened to be upstairs, and saw Jing Wan through the slightly opened window. This time, however, he didn't intentionally come to see Jing Wan. It was purely a coincidence; he'd came for work. Just, after seeing Jing Wan and Sun Yi Jia arm in arm, appearing extremely intimate, he felt rather surprised.

There should be something he didn't know about in this matter. However, from the start, things have already somewhat changed. So Jing Wan just merely gained another good friend, that's all. This person's character can also be considered pretty good, so there's nothing worth making a fuss over. Moreover, this was also advantageous to his original plan.

Li Hong Yuan probably will never know that in his past life, after Kang Wangfei passed away from illness, Sun Yi Jia, as Kang Qinwang's 'fiancee', deeply ridden with guilt, silently fast and prayed for Kang Wangfei for 49 days in her home, not taking a single step out of the Ding Duke Manor. So naturally there wasn't the chance encounter with Jing Wan at the flower market like today, and further didn't have Jing Wan's enlightenment, so how could they have become good friend?

Moreover in his past life, Jing Wan didn't have any connections with anyone from the Ding Duke Manor. If she'd gotten along with Sun Yi Jia, then how could Li Ru Yu have that easily schemed against Jing Wan at the Ding Duke manor. This life, forget Li Ru Yu even trying to harm Jing Wan, even coming too close to Jing Wan will result in her getting strangled to death.

"Master, that side has started." An Yi quietly appeared and respectfully said.

"If Wan Wan and the others go join in on the fun, protect her as your number one priority." He paused for moment, "The same with Luo Pei Shan."

"Yes."

Jing Wan and the others didn't sit for too long, before hearing that in the nearby Hundred Flower Building diagonally opposite from them, someone was shamelessly boasting about wanting to crown a queen of flowers. The two elderly gentlemen naturally were unconcerned. A name breed that was able to become the queen among the flowers certainly must be in one of their hands. They naturally wouldn't take out their babies for others to judge. What difference was that from using vulgar nonsense to please the crowd?

The people that had come to this side were all lovers of plants and flowers. At first, majority of them naturally all snorted disdainfully, but once they heard that there was an ink peony with colors like black satin, including Jing Wan's party, each and every one's face all emerged a surprised color.

"Ink peony?" Jing Wan softly murmured. She wasn't certain whether or not it was like that orchid from before, truly black like ink and with a very beautiful gloss. The colors of black peonies from her past life were only just very deep, majority were all a red-violet color. Could it be that today she'll be able to witness another never seen before breed? "Grandfather, let's go have a look too."

Since his granddaughter had spoken, Head Minister Luo thus reluctantly agreed.

Jing Wan laughed, not knowing what they're being awkward about. If you want to go see, just go see. It's just that simple.

By the time Jing Wan and the other arrived, the Hundred Flower Building had already gathered a lot of people, both inside and outside. If it weren't for the fact that Luo Pei Shan and Head Magistrate Diwu both occupied high positions, and that the Sun family siblings' identities were special, they really wouldn't have been able to go in.

Identity and status not only could be used as an entrance ticket, it also could be used to receive even more material benefits. For example, like right now, the place originally was already densely packed full with people, yet their party was able to receive a private room, and drink a little tea, the ambient also quite elegant. And towards the situation below, they also had a panoramic view.

After inquiring the person left in the private room to serve them, they learned that the so called 'Queen of Flowers contest' was actually just two sides competing flowers. Moreover it was even two princes'——-third prince Rui Qinwang and fourth prince Gong Qinwang's respective little brother-in-laws, legtimate brother-in-laws, their respective wangfei's blood-related di younger brother. This was certainly interesting.

Gong Qinwang's birth mother was just an imperial concubine[2], but behind her back was Shu Consort Qin[3]. Shu Consort Qin had no son and no daughter, but the Qin family behind her back was the newly promoted Guan Jun Marquis Manor. Moreover, her elder brother was the current Left Commander-In-Chief, holding military power in his hands. The fourth prince, although wasn't formally given to Shu Consort Qin to raise, for the most part can be considered to have grown up in her Ganlu Palace. And Gong Qinwang's wangfei also came from the the Guan Jun Marquis Manor. She was precisely the Left Commander-In-Chief's di daughter.

This event appears to be just two people competing, but actually involved the two princes, or rather the two imperial wives in the palace, or even another competition of the two side's power? At least, this was what Luo Pei Shan and Head Magistrate Diwu thought.

Only Li Hong Yuan was endlessly sneering in his heart. Most of the people in the imperial court all thought that the Empress and Noble Consort Su appear to be equally matched against one another, but actually, the Empress was weaker. After all, the Right Commander-in-Chief was someone from Noble Consort Su's maternal uncle family, her blood-related older cousin, similarly holding military power in his hands. And the Ding Duke Manor, although had influence that overflowed to the skies, had no military power. Sometimes, military strength was actually where everything was determined. However, no one knew that the Left Commander-in-Chief's true faction was the eldest prince Kang Qinwang's. The Empress may look inferior to Noble Consort Su in strength, but absolutely don't underestimate that woman.

Shu Consort Qin actually was a very perceptive person. She knew her older brother's decision. In the inner palace, she appears to also be competing, but in actuality didn't do anything, including 'assisting' the fourth prince, Gong Qinwang. That was also just done for others to see. He was just a pitiful pawn that thought he had the ability to compete for the throne, but actually didn't have anything in his hands.

That's why, Shu Consort Qin was rather low-key in the inner palace. She wasn't as favored by his Majesty as Noble Consort Su, but the Empress and Noble Consort Su both didn't dare to provoke her easily. The Empress knew that she was on her side, and Noble Consort Su was afraid of her older brother, the Left Commander-in-Chief.

However, these were all under the circumstances in which he, Li Hong Yuan, didn't interfere. In his past life, a part of the reason why he was able to become the final winner was because the Left Commander-in-Chief defected from the Empress's faction and went to him. And in this life, this person, the Left Commander-in-Chief, was already being held in his hands.

The Left Commander-in-Chief, Qin Tian Ming, on the surface supported the fourth prince, Gong Qinwang. And in the dark, he vowed his loyalty to the eldest prince, Kang Qinwang. But his real master was actually the sixth prince, Jin Qinwang. There were also people under Jin Qinwang that knew his real situation. They either praised or mocked him, this three-faction face that struck the water left and right[4]. And only he himself knew his own hardships in his heart. In front of Jin Qinwang, his treatment in certain regards, for the most part, was second only to Fu Yun Ting.

[1] Basically means, still getting attacked even though didn't do anything. This isn't an actual idiom but an internet slang/meme in a way. Below is a visual representation.

[2] See historical notes

[3] Shu Consort Qin - Her rank is a titled consort of 'Shu Consort' and her family surname is Qin. Shu actually translates to virtuous, but the other four titled consort's common titles 'Xian' and 'De', kinda all translated to virtuous too, so I left it in pinyin.

[4] To benefit from both sides